This invention relates to a package for long, thin food products such as asparagus, celery, carrots, or the like. More specifically, this invention relates to a single molded plastic package having a base and a pair of clamshell cover members. The cover members integral with and pivotally hinged to the base. The package also includes a pair of vent members formed by the base and the two cover members when the package is closed. The cover members are held together in the closed position by mating interlocking structures on the two cover members. The package is specifically designed to hold the food items in an upright fashion, physically protect the food items, and display the food in an aesthetically pleasing fashion.
Elongated vegetables such as asparagus, celery, carrots and the like are commonly displayed in large bins in the produce sections of grocery stores. Often they are unpackaged. A supply of plastic bags is usually provided and the customers "package" the vegetables themselves. Otherwise, such vegetables are pre-packaged in plastic bags and left to lie in a pile in the bin.
Many grocers and customers find current methods of display unsanitary and unsatisfactory. Current display methods leave vegetables bruised, dirty and unappealing to customers. Finally, careless customers and stock clerks often drop the vegetables from the bin to the floor where they get dirty and stepped on, leaving an unappetizing mess.
In view of the foregoing, there is a real need for a suitable product which will permit vegetables, such as asparagus, to be displayed in an appealing, safe and sanitary manner. The present invention relates to a low cost, attractive package which meets the needs of product distributors, grocery stores and retail customers alike. Use of the package of the present invention permits the vegetables to be displayed and stored upright in a more sanitary and more appealing fashion.